Dahlia plant named ‘Bkdaprs’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Dahlia  plant named ‘Bkdaprs’, characterized by its compact, upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; dense and bushy growth habit; early and continuous flowering habit; semi-double inflorescences with light pink-colored ray florets; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Dahlia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BKDAPRS’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant, botanically known as Dahlia hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Bkdaprs’.

The new Dahlia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Maasdijk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new container Dahlia plants that have a freely branching habit, attractive ray floret coloration, long flowering period and good garden performance.

The new Dahlia plant originated from an open-pollination in June, 2007 in Maasdijk, The Netherlands of a proprietary selection of Dahlia hybrida identified as code number 2007-0095, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Dahlia hybrida as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Dahlia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Maasdijk, The Netherlands in July, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Dahlia plant by cuttings in a controlled environment in Maasdijk, The Netherlands since November, 2008 has shown that the unique features of this new Dahlia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Dahlia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Bkdaprs’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Bkdaprs’ as a new and distinct Dahlia plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounding         plant habit.     -   2. Dense and bushy growth habit.     -   3. Early and continuous flowering habit.     -   4. Semi-double inflorescences with light pink-colored ray         florets.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Compared to plants of the female parent selection, plants of the new Dahlia differ primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dahlia are more compact than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Dahlia have smaller inflorescences than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Dahlia and the female parent selection         differ in ray floret color as plants of the female parent         selection have red violet-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Dahlia can be compared to plants of Dahlia ‘Dahlstar Pink’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,714. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Maasdijk, The Netherlands, plants of the new Dahlia differed from plants of ‘Dahlstar Pink’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dahlia were not as compact as plants of         ‘Dahlstar Pink’.     -   2. Plants of the new Dahlia and ‘Dahlstar Pink’ differed in leaf         color as plants of ‘Dahlstar Pink’ had darker green-colored         leaves.     -   3. Plants of the new Dahlia flowered earlier than plants of         ‘Dahlstar Pink’.     -   4. Plants of the new Dahlia and ‘Dahlstar Pink’ differed in ray         floret color as plants of ‘Dahlstar Pink’ had darker         pink-colored ray florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Dahlia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Dahlia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Bkdaprs’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Bkdaprs’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and the following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the winter in 12-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Maasdijk, The Netherlands and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial container Dahlia production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 17° C. to 19° C. Plants were pinched one time and were three months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Dahlia hybrida ‘Bkdaprs’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Dahlia             hybrida identified as code number 2007-0095, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Dahlia             hybrida, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 16 days at             temperatures of about 18° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 19 days at             temperatures of about 18° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 21 days             at temperatures of about 18° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 23 days             at temperatures of about 18° C. to 21° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous, white in             color; tuber development has not been observed.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Compact, upright, somewhat             outwardly spreading and mounding plant form; broad inverted             triangle; two primary lateral branches develop, each primary             lateral branch with numerous secondary branches;             inflorescences held above the foliar plane on strong             peduncles; bushy and dense growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 13.5 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 16.1 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 7.3 cm. Diameter: About             4 mm. Internode length: About 1 cm. Aspect: About 30° from             vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to 144A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Leaves opposite; single.         -   Length.—About 4.1 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.4 cm.         -   Shape.—Broadly ovate.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Dentate to coarsely dentate.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A to             137B. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137C to N137D;             venation, close to 144A to 144B. Fully expanded leaves,             lower surface: Close to 191A to 191B; venation, close to             147B to 147C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 144A to 144B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance and arrangement.—Semi-double inflorescence form             with ray and disc florets forming acropetally on a             receptacle; inflorescences positioned above the foliar plane             on strong peduncles; inflorescences face upright to slightly             outwardly; freely flowering habit, about 20 inflorescences             per plant.         -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant, sweet.         -   Time to flower.—Early flowering habit, plants begin             flowering about 56 days after planting; plants flower             continuously during the late summer in The Netherlands.         -   Post-production longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good             substance for about two to three weeks on the plant;             inflorescences not persistent.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 8 mm.             Shape: Globular, flattened. Color: Close to 150B; towards             the base, close to 144B.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 4.6 cm. Depth (height):             About 1.6 cm. Disc diameter: About 1.6 cm. Receptacle             height: About 2 mm. Receptacle diameter: About 3 mm.             Receptacle color: Close to 144B to 144C.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 60 arranged             in about four whorls. Length: About 1.7 cm. Width: About             7 mm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Cuneate.             Margin: Entire. Aspect: About 80° from vertical; ray florets             concave. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 69B;             towards the base, close to 150D. When opening, lower             surface: Close to 69C; towards the base, close to 150C.             Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 69B; color becoming             closer to 70D with development. Fully opened, lower surface:             Close to 69C; color becoming closer to 70D with development.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 35. Length:             About 1 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm. Shape: Tubular,             elongated; apices, acute. Texture, inner and outer surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Color, when opening and fully opened:             Close to 150B; towards the apex, close to 14B; towards the             base, close to 145C.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 15 arranged in             a single whorl. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 3.5 mm.             Shape: Oblong. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Broadly cuneate. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145A to 145B;             towards the base, close to 144A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4.8 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Aspect: Erect to about 30° from vertical. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144B to 144C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium, present on disc florets             only: Quantity per floret: About two. Filament length: About             4 mm. Filament color: Close to 1C. Anther shape: Narrowly             oblong. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther color: Close to             13A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 13A.             Gynoecium, present on ray and disc florets: Quantity per             floret: One. Pistil length: About 1 cm. Style length: About             7 mm. Style color: Close to 154A to 154B. Stigma shape:             Cleft. Stigma color: Close to 13A. Ovary color: Close to             145B. Seeds/fruits: Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Dahlia. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Dahlia have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Dahlia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Dahlia have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate wind and rain. Plants     of the new Dahlia have been observed to be tolerant to high     temperatures of 35° C. and hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 8. 

1. A new and distinct Dahlia plant named ‘Bkdaprs’ as illustrated and described. 